Meet William
by J.A.Kishu
Summary: After reading an interesting article in a science journal Sherlock tried an experiment on himself. Let s just say everyone has a few busy days ahead. Part 1 of Little Sherlock
1. John

**Chapter 1: John**

When John walked through the door the first thing he thought was 'bad Sherlock'. The whole hallway smelled and he was glad that Mrs. Hudson wasn't in yet so that he had time to air the hall. He classified it as not being a nice smell but if he had to describe it, he wouldn't be able to name anything that had a similar smell. After opening the windows on the ground floor he walked up the steps. John nearly fell back when he was confronted full force now with the smell, no door in between anymore blocking out the worst of it. He held his breath and ran to the window opening it quickly and doing the same thing with the second one. With his head hanging out of the window John took a deep breath and remembered how normal London air was supposed to smell.

A noise let him turn around but what he saw was not something he had expected or ever expected to see in this flat. There was a child, a toddler, not older than three who was looking at him with huge, shy eyes from behind the sofa. 'Did Sherlock kidnap a child?' No he wouldn't, would he? John wasn't too sure about it.

"Hallo, little man, where did you come from?" The child was still looking up at him but didn't answer. Maybe it was scared. "My name is John, what's your name?" The child looked a bit uncertain as it slowly stepped out of his hiding place.

"William. My name is William. And I don't know where I am. This isn't my home." John feared the child, William, would start to cry but it looked around the flat with curiosity.

"William, have you seen my friend? He should be in this flat too. He is very tall and has black hair, like yours and…" John stopped. The child wasn't listening to him anymore. He had found the skull that was on the small table next to Sherlock's chair. With his small feet padding the boy walked over and touched the surface of the bone.

"It's a skull. Part of the human skeleton." Said the boy too busy touching the bone to see John's face.

"That's right. How do you know that?" John wasn't sure normal children at that age knew things like that or words like skeleton.

"My big brother has a book on an… antoi… anatomy." That was a big word for a small boy. "He explained it to me and answered all my questions. My brother is really smart and always explains everything to me." The little child smiled at him. As a sudden tummy rumbling distracted him again.

"John, I'm hungry." John smiled at this.

"Let's have a look in the kitchen. We should have toast and jam." As John was about to turn towards the kitchen William stood with his arms open in front of him. "Do you want to be picked up?" It was the only explanation he could come up with and a nod from William confirmed it. "Okay, come on." He lifted the little boy up who held tightly onto John small hands fisting into his shirt.

John placed William on a chair at the table, as far as possible away from the lab equipment, prepared toast and a glass of milk for the boy. He placed it in front of the child who started happily to eat. John watched him until he found a letter between the microscope and the Bunsen burner. A letter with his name on it. John took it and started to read.

* * *

 _Dear John,_

 _If my experiment was a success you should be in the company of a child right now. Don't panic. This child wasn't kidnapped and I didn't perform an experiment on him. It's me. My younger self._

 _I read an article in a science journal about a formula that lets your mind and body age backwards. In this case it should be around 30 years if everything worked perfectly. The effect should keep me in the body of a child for around a week maybe two._

 _Please keep an eye on younger me. If I'm not too much trouble, please take a few notes about my behavior so I can compare them with the real me from my childhood. Pictures would also be much appreciated._

 _To confirm it's me you can ask Mycroft. He will also provide you with everything my child me will need._

 _See you in a week or so._

 _Sherlock_

 _P.S. Mycroft has to bring Mr. Bee to me; he will know what you mean._

* * *

John read the letter more than once before he risked a look at the child next to him again who was still eating his toast with jam. Although the jam seemed to be everywhere except in his tummy. A lot of feelings came up in him going from anger to disbelieve and fascination. Did Sherlock really let himself regress just to confirm his experiment? Was his mind really that of a child or was he acting like that for John? But the adult Sherlock would have never asked for food and then eaten it like that.

"Sher… William, can you tell me your whole name?" He asked carefully, the child swallowed the last bite of his toast with milk before he answered. "William Holmes." Not the answer John had hoped for. "I mean do you have a second name like me? My name is John Hamish Watson." The child giggled. "That's a funny name. I have two second names. William Sherlock Scott Holmes but I don't like Scott and Sherlock sounds a bit ridiculous." John nodded; the probability that the child really was Sherlock had risen dramatically.

"William I have to call someone… would you like to draw a picture for me?" It was the only thing that came to his mind right now that children did to busy themselves. "We can put it on the fridge so everyone can see your beautiful picture." Little Sherlock was happy, jumped down from the chair, took John's hand and pulled him to the living room. John collected a few different colored pencils, a few sheets of paper and placed everything on the table. As Sherlock started to draw he took a picture and sent it to Mycroft. He had to wait only two seconds before his phone rang.

"Hello Mycroft how is your day?" John put all his sarcasm in his words because he wasn't looking forward to minding a child for a whole week. The thought had only occurred to him the moment he had sent the picture. He had no experience with children and even less with a genius child who probably would need special attention.

"What did he do?" Mycroft sounded more than tired. Sherlock had mentioned that Mycroft was trying to make a deal with some country; one reason why he had brought him a case and Sherlock had just accepted it without fight. Mycroft must have been really stressed. It was probably more than one country or one deal. But as the British Government you sometimes (or often) had stress. That his baby brother was now a real baby wouldn't help.

"Oh I don't know exactly. Some sort of experiment which means I have to babysit him for a week. He asked in a letter that you bring Mr. Bee - whoever that is - and everything else his child-self needs. By the way, when did he start to use Sherlock as his name? Didn't know his first name was William" While talking he watched Sherlock, no William, drawing something that looked like a flower. He had to smile at that.

"I will come over with everything. Keep him busy until I arrive. I need to finish something here." John ended the phone call before Mycroft could do it and let out a sigh. How on earth should he deal with the little version of his friend? John turned to make some tea to relax or think or to just do something else when the noise of falling pencils got his attention.

"Don't leave me alone." William was already hugging his leg with all of the strength of a little child.

"I won't, I will just make a tea. You can come with me if you want or keep coloring." William didn't let go until John picked him up and William was secure in his arms while he started making tea.


	2. Mycroft

**Chapter 2: Mycroft**

While John made himself a tea he was watched carefully by Sherlock who sat next to the sink. No not Sherlock, William a shy, sweet little boy who was without his family but didn't know why. That the boy was open to him like that was some kind of miracle. John had seen enough children who wouldn't even look at a stranger.

"Can I try it?" William's voice pulled John out of his thoughts.

"Try? Oh you want to taste the tea, right?" Sherlock nodded. "I don't think you will like it. It's more a drink for adults." But Sherlock held out his hands for the cup and John gave it to him. "It's hot so be careful." Sherlock blew a few times and took a sip. That he didn't like it was clear. John took the cup with a smile. "I think I can make tea taste nice for children. Close your eyes, how to make adult tea taste delicious is a secret." John winked at Sherlock who giggled again and closed his eyes covering them with his hands.

John took another cup and put the already used teabag in it with a bit of hot water. After a few seconds he took the bag out filled the cup with milk and sugar and stirred it with a spoon. When the tea was done he tapped Sherlock on the shoulder. "You can open your eyes." Sherlock opened them and took the offered cup. Sherlock sniffed at it.

"John it doesn't look like tea anymore." It was cute how Sherlock looked the way he did when he was in one of his moods as an adult and very much behaving like a child. But now, to see that face on an actual child was adorable. John should take a picture of that later.

"It's still tea, but made especially for you, try it." And Sherlock did. Because of the milk, the tea wasn't hot anymore; he could drink it without blowing.

"It's nice. I like it." William grinned at him. John had still a problem with calling him William but it was the best to separate them. Sherlock was his flat mate and best friend and William was his charge for a week.

Sherlock jumped down from the counter after he had placed his cup on it and hid behind John. The second the boy was in place John could hear steps on the stairs. William must have heard them before him. A knock at the door and then it opened. Most people who came to visit them knew that they could enter without waiting to be let in. Because Sherlock would never bother to stand up and John always told them to come in. Mycroft stood in the door, uncertainty written all over his face as he laid eyes on the little boy who was hiding behind John.

"Hello John. I see my brother was quite successful with the reproduction of the re-ageing potion." Mycroft's cold mask didn't slip back but he wasn't surprised or in shock. He had an open, friendly face, probably for Sherlock's sake.

"Hello Mycroft." Looking down at the child, John kneeled next to him so William couldn't hide behind him anymore. "William, that's my friend from the phone I told you about. Don't you want to say hello?" William looked from John to Mycroft and then back again before he took a step towards Mycroft.

"Hi I'm William. You have the same name as my big brother." It was more than cute to look at the little version of Sherlock interacting with his brother. Who was apparently okay with playing the act that was expected of him, be the friend of John Watson.

"Hello William, nice to meet you." Mycroft was also crouching down so as to be closer to William's height. William still had one of his hands on John's leg. "William, I found something on the way which I think belongs to you." Mycroft pulled out a bag, reached inside and held an old stuffed bee in his hand. One of the wings had stitches, a leg was missing and it looked like the stuffing inside the animal had seen better days. But William wasn't disgusted by the old looking stuffy. He reached out for it and pulled it as fast as he could into his arms.

"What do we say William?" John encouraged him to further interact and show good manners but he gave the child a few seconds to check his toy.

"Thank you Uncle Mycroft." John had to hold his mouth shut. The look on Mycroft was priceless.

"Why don't you call me just Mycroft?" It was adorable how he tried to save his face but there was nothing in this world that could make John forget that.

"But Mycroft is my brother's name and I don't want him and you to be the same. My big brother is a genius and he is really nice and I love him." Sherlock looked at Mycroft with a look that told both adults that there would be no argument that could change Sherlock's mind.

Why don't we sit down and you can play with Mr. Bee for a while?" John directed both to the living room with Sherlock holding his hand and Mycroft behind him. They both sat down and Sherlock climbed into John's lap without asking, holding Mr. Bee close and playing with one of the antennas.

"My brother thought it would be a great experiment to be a child again and that you should take care of him in that time. But still I have to ask you, John, do you want to do that?" Mycroft asked while watching his brother play with his stuffed bee.

"I don't really have a choice, right? I don't think he would like it if other people see him like that or better know that it is him and sorry, Mycroft, but you are not really an alternative." Mycroft looked hurt for a second before he realized what John had meant to say. He was working long hours, had no experience whatsoever with children and when his brother would grow up again he didn't want to have an argument the second he was an adult again. John was the better choice in every way and for many reasons.

"I brought over a few clothes and foods he liked as a child." The doctor had already decided to keep little William safe. The boy was glued to him anyway.

"I have a question. Was he always like that? I mean I should be a stranger to him but he was only shy for about a minute and then it was like I'm his parent." Mycroft watched his little baby brother again.

"He had a phase where only Nana and I were able to get him to talk and eat. He was always shy, our parents had to work long hours and sometimes we only saw them for a short time on weekends. Sherlock started this 'clingy phase' around the age of two and it stayed that way until he was five, I think. Be prepared: he will also not sleep alone in a room or bed. He will not leave you out of his sight and he won't stay alone for a second." John looked down at William while Mycroft explained all of that. Little Sherlock's behavior sounded like the behavior of a child who was afraid to lose someone, maybe because he had already lost something.

"You say I won't have a second for myself for the next week. That wouldn't be much of a change to my normal days…" Mycroft nodded smiling.

"I will call your employer and arrange everything and you can call me whenever you need information or anything else." Mycroft moved as if he wanted to leave but William's attention was caught by that movement.

"Uncle Mycroft why are you leaving already? You just came to visit, you should stay. John can make nice tea for you. He made one for me too. It didn't taste bad after he did something special with it. But I don't know what. I had to close my eyes. Do you know what John did with the tea to make it taste nice?" Adorable little William understood the point of a secret. The person who told him he couldn't tell, wouldn't give out the information lightly but to satisfy his curiosity he could ask someone else. Like 'Uncle Mycroft'.

"William, if I would tell you it wouldn't be a secret anymore, right?" William nodded. "But if John would make another tea we could all drink our tea together." Nodding his head John smiled and started to sit up. He placed William down so he could make the tea but the child had other ideas.

"John I want to come too." John could picture how the week was going to be if he didn't change things now.

"But William who will watch Uncle Mycroft when I'm in the kitchen? He will be very lonely." William looked back at Mycroft who smiled at him.

"You can tell me something about the little friend you are holding in your arms." Mycroft seemed to understand what John was trying to do. Something he never did. Encourage Sherlock to open up to other people.

"And I will only be in the kitchen. You can hear me from the living room and if you ask really nicely I'm sure Uncle Mycroft will lift you up and then you can see me." William let go of John and walked over to Mycroft.

"That's Mr. Bee. He is really special because he tells me stories when I want one and he likes to cuddle and he feels nice under my fingers." To prove his point William patted the stuffed bee.

"That's nice. Would you like to sit on my lap? You can watch John make tea from there and you could tell me something about you brother who has the same name as I have." William nearly jumped into Mycroft's lap and turned around to see John.

"Mycroft is the older one. Sometimes he is really busy but he never minds me being with him in the room. He gave me Mr. Bee. It was a present for my second birthday. Mum and Dad couldn't come because they were in a business meeting in another city. So it was only Mycroft, Nana and me and then Mr. Bee. Who never misses my birthdays or forgets to say good night. Like Mycroft, Mr. Bee is always there." The unspoken absence of their parents, who were supposed to be doing these things, stayed unmentioned.

John came back with the tea, William climbed down and waited until John had passed Mycroft his tea before settling down with his own and William's tea. William sat on John's lap again with Mr. Bee holding his tea and drinking it slowly.

"You know I was wondering why a lost boy didn't ask for his parents but I think I get the picture now. What surprised me is that he didn't ask for you or his Nana." John who had listened to the conversation in the living room wanted to know more about Sherlock's past but he wouldn't push. It wasn't right without Sherlock being able to say no.

"I think his brain has some aspects of the present in it. It wouldn't make sense to ask for his brother because the brother he wants isn't here anymore. The same can be said about the fact that he already trusts you or that he didn't see me as a stranger. His child self might not know us but his adult one gives enough input to help the child to survive." Mycroft tried to explain. He wasn't really sure himself but this was the only explanation. His brother at that age had never been at ease around people he didn't know. That even included their parents.

"Do you think we should tell other people who he is? I mean I can't leave him alone in the flat and I won't stay in here for a week or longer but I could lie and say… I don't know my cousin's son or something like that." He wouldn't know what to do with a child in the flat for a week. But John could think about things like playgrounds.

"You're probably right. But we should only tell a few selected people who are allowed to know it. For everyone else he will be what you just said. No one around here knows about his first name. It should be safe." Mycroft thought about a list of people who could be allowed to know it but John beat him to it.

"Mrs. Hudson, Molly and Greg. We shouldn't tell anyone else and even then only when they meet him, deal?" John always Sherlock's protector.

"Deal. But I must leave you now. Call when you need something. I have a meeting I can't miss." Mycroft stood up. "Good bye John. Bye William. I will visit you soon again." William looked up from his nearly empty cup.

"Bye bye Uncle Mycroft." He waved good bye with his little hand and with one of the bee's wings. Mycroft left them to their business still wondering about his brother. How he could even think about testing something like that on himself. It would have been better for his research if he had used it on someone else. But now Mycroft had another chance to see his baby brother in his most adorable years.


	3. Lestrade and the Yarders

**Chapter 3: Lestrade and the Yarders**

John and William had a quiet evening. After Dinner and a bath (William loved the bath duck with the detective-hat they had received as a present from a client) a new problem made itself known. Where should they sleep? Mycroft had said William wouldn't want to sleep alone but John felt a bit uncomfortable to sleep in the same bed as Sherlock, child or not.

In the end he decided to use his bed. William laid down, pulled the cover up to his nose and waited for John to climb in next to him. "John will you tell me and Mr. Bee a good night story? Please." When an adorable three-year-old with a stuffed bee asked you something like that you could never say no.

John settled into bed. "I don't have a book that I could read to you but I could tell you one of the adventures my flat mate and I had." William nodded.

"Okay first I have to tell you something about him. He is a genius like you and your brother. But sometimes he does really stupid things. You know in a dangerous situations it's always better to stay together, right?" William and Mr. Bee nodded. "But he just ran after a bad man to catch him. He is a detective, my flat mate, but he left me behind. This case was a bit of a strange one. Someone stole birds from animal shelters, veterinary studios and food production facilities. No one could tell why the bad man was doing that. In the end we never found out, but back to the story. My flat mate ran away and when I found him he looked more like a chicken then a man. He was covered in something sticky and had been thrown into the bad man's collection of feathers. It looked really funny: a man-sized walking chicken. We needed a whole day and four bath sessions to get all of the feathers away from my flat mate. He smelled like a chicken for a week and I wasn't allowed to write about it in our blog." John looked back at William and was glad to see him sleeping, he only needed a voice to focus on to fall asleep.

For a moment John played with the thought to stand up and watch telly or read but he would be busy tomorrow and he was exhausted after only a few hours with a child. But little William was an easy child if you could ignore the fact that you couldn't even go to the toilet alone. He had to leave the door open. But his cuteness made you overlook and forget all the awkward things. John was proud of his growing collection of William pictures. He would save them somewhere to make sure Sherlock didn't delete them.

John stroked through William's hair before he closed his eyes. "Good night, William."

* * *

The first noise John heard was someone talking. He slowly opened his eyes as he heard a child's voice. "It's not nice to call early in the morning. You will wake up John." His brain needed another second to remember yesterday. Sitting up he found Sherlock, or better William, standing next to his nightstand with his phone in his hand, talking to whoever had called him.

"William, please give me the phone." William hadn't notice John waking up but he handed the phone over. "It's a man. He said his name is Lestrade and his sounds tired. You should tell him to sleep longer and call people later." John watched William and Mr. Bee walk around the bed and climb back into it. He turned his attention to the phone. "Yes Lestrade. What can I do for you?" With a look at the clock he saw that it wasn't that early, 7:36 am. Not too bad.

"John who was that on the phone? Why do you have a child with you?" Great. Of course Lestrade would notice.

"I'm watching a child for a week. What can I do for you?" John feared what would come and Lestrade confirmed it with his next words.

"I need you and Sherlock at the station. I need you two to do the paperwork you always ignore. And I need you today. I can't reach Sherlock and he would ignore it anyway but you will make him come." Lestrade sounded not only tired but also a bit angry. It was true: he and Sherlock ignored paperwork most times and when they did it, it was only because John pushed Sherlock to Scotland Yard.

"Sorry Greg but Sherlock won't be able to do any paper work or signing for at least a week." He looked down at William who was playing with Mr. Bee again.

"Why? What happened? Is he alright?" Great. Now he was worried.

"Don't panic, he is okay. Just one of his stupid experiments worked a bit too well for my liking." He smiled at William. It was nice to see his friend in a new light. He wondered what had happened to form that innocent and shy child into the person his flat mate was today.

"So he is okay? But I still need one of you to sign the paperwork. Can you come?" John knew he had to go.

"I will be there as soon as possible." He ended the phone call. "William." The child looked up. "Would you like some pancakes for breakfast? And after breakfast we have to visit a friend of mine. He needs something for his work. Would you like to come too?"

"Yes. Yes to both. Pancakes and going out." William climbed into John's lap. "Will you carry me downstairs? Mr. Bee needs someone to hold him so I have to do that and can't walk." Smiling John lifted both William and Mr. Bee and walked with them downstairs. Sherlock already knew as a child which buttons to push to get what he wanted.

* * *

Dressed in a coat that looked a bit like a small version of Sherlock's, William and John were on their way to Scotland Yard. Inside the cab were William and Mr. Bee, both busy looking out of the window and pointing at buildings, statues and people. He asked John about things and told him some others when he deduced something. William was already able to read people without knowing what he was doing.

As they arrived at the building and left the cab, William wanted to be carried again, which John gladly did. He liked carrying the small boy. He held tight with one of his hands on John's shoulder the other keeping his toy safe. William hadn't touched any of the other toys Mycroft had brought over. But as an answer when John had had asked, he received a 'was to be expected'.

In the lift William wanted to be let down again. "I'm big enough to walk on my own." John smiled proud as ever. William was trying hard which is all John could ask for. They walked hand in hand between the tables and John stopped in front of Lestrade's office. Through the window he could see the man on the phone and it didn't look like a pleasant call.

"William we have to wait a bit so Greg can end his phone call." The boy nodded and looked around the office. His eyes caught a head with lot of curly hair. Pulling John into the direction of that person, John recognized Donovan with her back to them.

"Do you want to talk to that woman? Her name is Sally Donovan." He asked William who nodded and pointed at her hair.

"She has hair like me. I want to touch it to see if it feels like mine. Strait hair feels different than curly hair and hers looks really curly." Sally wouldn't get the information that she was dealing with a small Sherlock.

"Hi Sally." John called her as they were only a meter behind her. She turned and expected to see not only John but also Sherlock. Her eyes lay immediately on the small boy holding John's hand and his stuffed animal.

"John, who is this child and where is the freak? Lestrade is talking to the chief, so don't interrupt him." Sometimes he hated her. How could she call Sherlock 'freak' and that in front of a child?

"First of all, I know Lestrade is on the phone; that is the reason why I'm not in his office but outside and waiting. Second, could you stop using words like that when a child is around? Or better never call him something like that again." John had to wrap his anger in cotton wool. He couldn't start a fight with a police officer in a police station when he had been entrusted to watch a child. Even if he was right. Sally must have felt his anger and saw no further reason to fight when Sherlock wasn't here.

"Alright but what's with the child?" She eyed William who was standing a bit behind his leg, just to be safe.

"I'm in charge of him for a week and he has a question for you, isn't that right William?" William tightened his arm around Mr. Bee but stepped in front of John.

"Can I touch your hair? I want to feel if it feels like mine. It's curly but it looks different than mine. Please can I?" The cuteness was breathtaking. When Sherlock would be grown up again he would miss that. Sally was shocked for a second but smiled and kneeled down next to William.

"Of course you can." She turned a bit to the side so he could reach it better. Even Donovan has a soft spot for children.

"William you need to let go of my hand so you can touch it or should I take Mr. Bee for a second?" You could see the battle between both possibilities. Let go of John's hand in a room full of strangers or give away Mr. Bee for a second.

It would only be a second and it would be John who would be holding him; so it should be alright. "Can you hold Mr. Bee for a second John?" John took the bee and William started with shy touches to feel Sally's hair.

"It really is different." William looked amazed. "Miss Donovan's feels totally different from mine." Williams's finger tangled in her hair and John watched both of them. She was smiling and he was just curious and happy. As William was finished he stepped back and held out his hand for Mr. Bee. "Thank you Miss Donovan."

"You're welcome." Sally stood up again, William's eye wandering again through the room to find the next interesting thing. "Polite and cute. Where did you find him and are there more?" She meant it as a joke but John knew she was trying to make up for her misstep before. He wanted to answer her but in that second Lestrade's office door opened.

"John, I'm finished you can come in an …" Whatever Lestrade wanted to say it was lost as John and William walked over to him. It looked like he wanted to say something as both passed him but he waited until the office door was closed and all were seated. William in John's lap on the visitor chair and Lestrade behind his desk.

"Greg meet William." The boy and his stuffed animal sat still and were watching Lestrade with huge child's eyes. "William this is my friend Greg. The one you talked to on the phone this morning."

"Hello Greg. You shouldn't wake people with a call early in the morning. They might think something happened. Mr. Bee was sleeping and John was too." As he mentioned his toy he showed it to Lestrade to prove his point.

"I'm sorry William but I needed to see John today." To John's surprise the cop played the game with the living toy. "I'm sorry for waking you Mr. Bee. Would you and William like to draw me a picture so I can show it to everyone who comes to my office." William liked that idea. "In the corner by the sofa on the table there are a few crayons and paper." William climbed down from John's lap and started drawing in the corner. Once he was busy and no longer listening to the adults Lestrade started to talk.

"John what the hell. Why are you bring a child to the police station? Or better who is it and why does he look like a younger version of Sherlock? I knew him as a teenager; don't tell me he has a son." John started to laugh. He had wondered why no one else had seen it.

"No it's not Sherlock's son. It's Sherlock himself. You won't believe it but the idiot did an experiment on himself and will stay like that at least for a week. And guess who is taking care of him?" Lestrade's eyes opened wide, disbelieve and resignation showing on his face.

"Really, that's him?" John nodded; still smiling because he had in the meantime fully accepted his fate.

"Isn't he cute? He asked Donovan if he could touch her hair and she let him do it. When she finds out that the sweet little boy who was so polite was him. She will get really angry. But don't tell her. Mycroft and I decided not to tell everyone." He pulled out his phone out and took a picture of William drawing with his tongue between his lips and Mr. Bee sitting on the table. "But that doesn't stop me from collecting little pieces for later usage." Grinning he showed Lestrade the pictures with the jam, in the bath tub with the duck, William with his cute little pajamas and William cuddling Mr. Bee.

"John Watson you are an evil man. Send them to me, I will find use for them later. But back to the important things." Lestrade got up and picked up lots of papers. "John I need you to read these and then sign. I won't let you leave until it's done." John sighed although it was exactly what he had feared. So without further talking both men continued with their work.

* * *

"John. I need to go to the toilet." None of them had noticed William getting up from his place at the sofa but now the boy was standing next to him.

"Of course. I'll show you where it is." Both John and Lestrade stood up at the same time.

"I can take him and you finish your work." John looked uncertainly between Lestrade and William. He knew William was a bit too much fixated on him but at the same time he didn't want to lose the child's trust.

"Would that be alright with you William? I promise I won't leave and I'll wait for you even when I'm finished with my work." John had seen the look of fear in the child's eyes. With every word John spoke the look on William's face changed into something resembling 'feeling safe'.

"Yes Greg can bring me. But you have to watch Mr. Bee. He doesn't want you to be alone and I'm with Greg so he stays with you." John took the bee and placed it on the desk like William had done before.

"Thank you William; that is really nice of you. And thank you Mr. Bee for staying with me." Sherlock took Greg's hand and they left the office together.

* * *

Greg walked with William holding his hand between the other desks. William waved at Sally as they passed her. After they had a little stop by the toilet William was led by Lestrade to the cafeteria.

"That's not the way back to your office." Sherlock noticed immediately.

"I know but we need a bit of food and coffee to work further. John is nearly done but a cup of coffee does miracles sometimes. We could get you a juice." William needed a minute to answer as he was deep in his mind.

"With 'miracle' do you mean something like John's magic tea that taste nice for children?" Lestrade wasn't sure what magic tea was but he could imagine it with Sherlock having such a sweet tongue.

"It's more the feeling you get after drinking coffee. When you are tired you get a bit more energy and you are fully awake again and can concentrate on you work." He couldn't find a better way to explain caffeine to a child.

"Is John tired?" Oh no! Now he had started something. Answer Sherlock Holmes' thousand and one questions. Or in this case Little William.

"No not really tired but it's a boring job to read and sign all those papers and then a hot coffee is the right thing." 'Was that right? Don't ask more. You don't want to screw up you cuteness. Wrong thought, Greg.'

"Can I have coffee too?" Okay that was a question he could work with.

"No Sh...William that's something for adults only. You wouldn't be able to sleep tonight if you drink coffee." He had nearly called him Sherlock.

"But tea is something for adults too. And John made it taste nice for children. Why can't you make the coffee taste nice?" Good argument.

"Nope, sorry William. Coffee is different than tea. You can have a juice."

The rest of the walk to the cafeteria, buying coffee and juice and the way back were spent in silence. Sherlock or better William hadn't gotten what he wanted and wasn't happy about it but all the same he never for one second let go of Lestrade's hand.

Back in the office John was finished with the paper work and waiting for them with Mr. Bee on his lap. As soon as the door was open William ran to John and hugged him with the toy between them. John was surprised but laid his hand on William's curly hair and stroked it slowly.

"Did something happen?" He asked Lestrade.

"Not really, he wanted coffee and I tried to explain to him that it's nothing for children." While speaking he gave John his cup.

"William can you look up for a second?" William did and one of his hands closed around the bee's wing. "Greg is right. You shouldn't drink it. It might smell good but even my magic couldn't make it taste good for children."

"But I want to try it." There were a few tears in his eyes.

"Okay, here is the deal: you can taste it but only a tiny sip. Okay?" William nodded "And if you don't like it I would like you to say sorry to Greg. It's not good to always question the answers adults give you." William nodded again and took a really tiny sip from the cup John offered him. The way John drank it – black - was worse than the over sugared coffee Sherlock always drank.

"I'm sorry Greg. You are right: it doesn't taste nice." William took Mr. Bee and his juice and looked at John who understood that Sherlock wanted to be lifted up onto his lap. The boy busied himself with his bee again and drank his juice.

"He is really cute but a bit shy and how can he busy himself with that toy without getting bored?" Lestrade commented as he sat down again. He picked up the pictures William had drawn for him and asked: "William can I keep the pictures you have drawn?"

"Yes, I drew them for you. I wrote my name on it in the corner so you won't forget who made them for you." A proud William smiled at Lestrade.

"I think you two can go now. Don't want to take the whole day away from you and I think the little man in your lap needs his lunch." With a look on his watch John saw that it was nearly noon.

"That's a good idea. When Sherlock is back I will make him come to see you. See you later." Sherlock waved Greg good bye as they left.

As they left the office William stopped to look around until he found Sally. "Bye Miss Donovan. It was nice to meet you." John smiled as they left a happy police officer. They had made her day.

* * *

Lestrade sat in his office and looked at one of the pictures given to him by little Sherlock. There was one of him and John in a cab, one with something that looked like Donovan's hair, another one with the title 'Uncle Mycroft' depicting Mycroft, an umbrella and a tea cup. One with John in the kitchen wearing something looking like a wizard's hat, one of Greg working and a collection of Mr. Bee portraits although the bee was also on all the other pictures.


	4. Mrs Hudson

**Chapter 4: Mrs. Hudson**

John and William left the police station but walked home. The weather was nice and it wasn't necessary for them to be there at a specific time. Most of the way William walked by himself with Mr. Bee in one hand and holding John's in his other. During the way William was very busy watching people and cars. As they passed a street-artist they watched his performance for over ten minutes before he found something new to be fascinated about. Around the corner was a musician who played old folk songs on his violin and William started to sing alone for the rest of the trip.

Only as they were almost there his small legs got tired and he asked to be carried again. "What would you like for lunch?" John had thought about it but he could come up with nothing that he could serve the child. He still had William's soft voice in his head with one of these old songs his grandmother used to sing for him when he had to go to sleep.

"Mr. Bee and I would like toast with jam." Yes, he really needed to ask the adult Sherlock about the bee. John couldn't remember being so completely focused on one toy as William was on Mr. Bee.

"You two want toast with jam again? But we had that yesterday for dinner and for breakfast. I think we need something else. Something that fills up our tummies so we won't be hungry until the afternoon tea with cookies. Can you think of something else?"

William was thinking hard in his arms was, you could see it. He flapped Mr. Bee's wings forth and back. "Nana's egg-pie." A pie okay he could work with it.

"Do you know what was in it?" He could ask, not that he had much hope that a three year old knew the recipe from his Nana's egg-pie.

"Eggs and love. That's all it needs. She told me but Mr. Bee was spying on her once and we saw that she also put onions in it and something that looked like mushrooms but the poor mushrooms were cut and then put in a frying pan. Poor mushrooms! I like them when they grow in our back yard in the autumn." William liked mushrooms but Sherlock didn't. John guessed he would make him eat them without him knowing and tell him later he had eaten them as a child so he could eat them now in his food as well.

"I will ask Uncle Mycroft, maybe he knows how to make it." John took his phone out and sent a short message to Mycroft. They were now back and to his embarrassment John noticed he had forgotten his keys. The keys were always in the same trouser pocket so he always knew that they were there. He had to only lay his hand on his side and could feel it.

"William we need to ring the bell, silly me forgot the keys this morning." As John reached out for the bell William stopped him.

"Can I do it?" John smiled, nodded and lifted the child up so he could reach Mrs. Hudson's doorbell.

"You have to press the one next to Mrs. Hudson's name, she is our landlady." William smiled and pressed the button for the bell. John wanted to keep him in his arms but William pointed to the ground. He wanted to be let down again. Like in the police station he wanted to show that he could stand alone on his feet.

* * *

Mrs. Hudson opened the door with one of her huge smiles. "Sorry Mrs. Hudson I forgot my keys."

"John that's okay, come in. Would you like to have cup of tea with me?" She was turning towards her flat when William chose the moment to say something.

"Can you make magic tea like John?" Her eyes moved back and stopped on the small child next to John's leg. She loved children, never had her own and used every opportunity to give them all the love her own children would have gotten.

"Who are you sweetheart?" John wanted to introduce William but the child wasn't shy with her. He stepped out of his shadow and held out his hand. Mrs. Hudson took it and shook it like adults would do.

"My name is William and this is Mr. Bee." Mrs. Hudson also shook the bee's offered leg and said hello.

"Hello William, Mr. Bee, are you two with John?"

"Yes, John is watching us and he showed us the police station." Now was the moment John had to step in.

"Only Greg's office, he needed a few signatures." A rumbling tummy distracted the adults and let them look down at William again.

"I guess you haven't had lunch then. Good for you that I'm cooking right now. William would you like to have lunch with me?" William took Mrs. Hudson's offered hand.

"Yes, please but Mr. Bee and John have to come too."

"Of course they are invited too." John followed Mrs. Hudson into her flat. The adult part of William's unconsciousness must have told him that she was more than alright to trust. John was distracted from a message. Mycroft had answered.

-'I'm sorry to inform you but the recipes from our grandmother were lost for all time. She never wrote them down and every attempt to reproduce the meals was… let's just say not very successful. Sherlock never ate what we tried so don't try it. Find something to distract him. MH'-

Thank god for Mrs. Hudson! He wouldn't have known how to distract William from his wish for Nana's egg-pie. -'Thanks we have already found a distraction. Mrs. Hudson is cooking for him. JW'- John wouldn't mention it to William. Hopefully he had forgotten about his favorite food.

* * *

As John entered the kitchen he found a very busy William on Mrs. Hudson's lap peeling peas with her. "John there you are. Please wash the potatoes in the sink, than peal them and slice them in small cubes." John nodded and followed her instructions.

"Mrs. Hudson, John should be closer to us. He will be lonely." William looked up with his adorable huge child's eyes to convince Mrs. Hudson it would be better for them to work all at the same table.

"Sweetheart he can come over after he has washed the potatoes. We can't move the sink and he can see and hear us from where he is. He won't be lonely." William looked back at John standing at the sink and John waved with his hand.

"I'm alright William, I will be over there with you in no time. You're such a good boy helping Mrs. Hudson. Is Mr. Bee helping too?" It was always the best idea to distract him from lonely thoughts by mentioning his bee.

"He is observing our work. He has to check that Mrs. Hudson and I do the pealing right." The bee was sitting on the table close enough for William to reach for it when he needed it closer.

"That's good, I'm done with the washing and am going to keep you company now." John moved with the washed potatoes over to the table. He preferred to have William in his sight. The child was busy with his task when Mrs. Hudson finally questioned the child's presence.

"John why is this child with you and where is Sherlock?" John explained the whole experiment situation and the fact that the sweet little boy in her lap was Sherlock and would stay that way for a week.

She wasn't as surprised as you could expect. She had known Sherlock far too long to be surprised by him. While Mrs. Hudson was cooking John busied William with a card game. The boy learned very fast and was soon winning against John.

"Time to lay the table." Ms. Hudson called over to the table. William jumped up and let John tidy the cards away.

"I want to help. What can I bring over?" William was holding his bee again but when Mrs. Hudson gave him the spoons and forks he put it under his armpit so that he could hold the cutlery with two hands. While John got plates and two knifes. Both of them wouldn't give a three year old a knife.

They had their lunch and William told Mrs. Hudson everything about the police station, Sally's hair and the violinist. They both loved to listen to him. After lunch they helped with the dishes, William was allowed to put them away, one item at a time.

"Will you come upstairs for John's magic tea? He promised that we can have cookies." William asked as they left her flat.

"Of course I will come but with something far better then bought cookies. Homemade ones." Both William and John smiled at that. Everyone loved Mrs. Hudson's bakery.

"Thanks for the lunch and thanks for… everything." John didn't know what to say to tell they landlady how thankful he was for all the things she did for them and he could already see her willingness to care for little William the whole week. Not that he would try to stop her. She loved adult Sherlock and children. William was the perfect mix.

"Don't mention it. I will come upstairs later. Have fun up there you two." She waved her good bye to William as they walk up.

"John I like Mrs. Hudson, she is a bit like Nana. Only Nana was a bit older but they both have the same color hair. Mr. Bee likes her too. He was allowed on the table to help us."

"That was nice of her and Mr. Bee is such a great help." A sudden thought caught John unguarded. 'Did William have afternoon naps?' He had to ask Mycroft. –Does William take a nap in the afternoon? JW- The answer came fast. –You can try it but you and he have to stay in the same room. Try the sofa. MH-

The sofa? "William would you like to watch a bit of telly? I think there are a few children shows on at this time of the day." William looked at the television and shook his head.

"Can you read something for Mr. Bee and me?" A book suitable for children in this flat would be hard to find. Then he remembered the bag that Mycroft had brought over and he found one. An old fairy tale book, perfect.

William, Mr. Bee and John sat down on the sofa, cuddling up a bit as John began to read. He chose 'Little Red Riding Hood', because it was the first in the book. His knowledge about fairy tales needed refreshment. He had forgotten that there was an evil wolf who ate Little Red Riding Hood and her grandmother or that the hunter shot the wolf. But the fairy tales crueler parts only had one listener and that was Mr. Bee; William was already sleeping on his lap. John wouldn't be able to move but he could wait a bit and watch his cute flat mate for a while.


	5. Molly

**Chapter 5: Molly**

On the sixth day following William's appearance in the flat a dramatic change happened in the little boy. It began after the breakfast. John was putting the dishes away and William was playing with Mr. Bee on Sherlock's chair. He could see John from there but also had his own place.

"John." William's voice sounded strange and John turned around immediately. "My tummy hurts." Teary eyes met with John's and then the crying started.

"William, can you try to tell me how and where exactly it hurts?" They child didn't answer but most children weren't able say where or what really hurt. John touched William's tummy and in doing his examination tried to find something that could explain the child's pain. John couldn't find anything. The food they had consumed a few minutes ago was the same they had eaten the last few days for breakfast. John had eaten the same, so it probably was not related to the food. "Okay William come here." John lifted the crying boy up and held him tight as he walked into the bathroom.

"Can you try to use the toilet? Maybe you have to go and don't know it." William wasn't happy about it and continued to cry his little soul out while trying to use the toilet but nothing came and after five minutes John gave up. "Do you feel sick, like something is coming up?" William shook his head and as if he wanted to say something he opened his mouth and vomited onto the bathroom floor. After that the crying stopped for a second only to start with even more force immediately afterwards. The child was shocked and John lifted him out of the puddle he had left behind on the floor.

"That's okay William. It's better that it is out than that it makes you feel bad. We will get you a glass of water in the kitchen and clean you a bit up, okay?" They walked back into the kitchen with William still crying hard.

"It hurts John. Make it go away." The pitiful crying didn't stop. Even when John gave him a glass of water the tears continued to fall while he was drinking his water.

"Okay how about we try to make it better with some medicine?" But the moment John said it out loud he remembered that he had nothing in the flat that would be suitable for children. "I will call Uncle Mycroft; he will bring us something from the pharmacy." But Mycroft didn't answer his phone. Mrs. Hudson was out without hers and Greg was working. His last hope was Molly.

She answered after the second ring. "Hello John, long time no see. How are you?"

Sweet Molly. Over the crying that wasn't as loud and strong as before he answered her. "Molly I need your help. Can you go to a pharmacy and bring me something for a stomach ache for a three year old. I will explained as soon as you are here but I can't leave the flat right now." She must have heard his desperation.

"Of course. I will bring it over as fast as I can. Any allergies?" John hadn't thought about it but Sherlock wasn't allergic to anything so William would be okay.

"Don't think so. Please hurry up." He ended the call and reverted his whole attention back to William. "William my friend Molly is coming over and she will bring some medicine for you so that your tummy ache goes away. Please stop crying." But all the talking wasn't helping. In the end he sat down on his chair and held William to his chest with a blanket over him and Mr. Bee in his arms. William fell asleep probably exhausted from all the crying and from feeling sick.

* * *

Molly wasn't sure who John was minding. She had never heard of a small child in his family but she was glad to help. She walked up the stairs with the bag from the pharmacy; she had a spare key so she let herself in. The flat was quiet but she found John sitting on his chair with the sick child on his chest. He put a finger on his lips to signal to her to not speak too loud.

"Wasn't sure what you needed. So I brought a few things, all for children. Pain, fever, head, stomach, flu, food poisoning and a few other things." Molly held out the bag.

"Thank you Molly. I think we will try something for the pain first." He sat up a bit, very slowly, but it was enough to wake the boy, whom Molly could see now. William started crying again.

"William everything is alright. Look my friend Molly is here and brought you medicine so that we can make the hurt go away." Molly pulled out the bottle with the pain medication, something that tasted like strawberries.

"Hey William I'm a doctor and I am sure this will make it better." Molly held out a spoon full of the pink liquid and the teary eyes of the boy started focusing on her. William opened his mouth and swallowed the liquid from the spoon. It should taste nice for children.

"Now William we wait for a few minutes and then the pain should be gone. Why don't we cuddle with Mr. Bee for a while longer? He must feel a bit lonely without you holding him." The toy had fallen down between John and the chair. William picked it up and cuddled it close to him and John. John rearranged the blanket again and it took not even five minutes for a silently crying child to fall asleep again.

While John was busy helping William settle down, Molly went to the bathroom following an unpleasant smell. She found the little sickness puddle and started cleaning it away. She opened the window and rinsed out the towel she had used as well as she could in the sink. After that she went back to the kitchen and made tea for them. John had looked more than exhausted and she would help him wherever it was needed.

With the tea she went back into the living room and found the two cuddled up, John rubbing William's back. "Thanks Molly, you are an angel. You didn't have to clean the bathroom." He took the tea with his free hand.

"That's alright, I am glad to help. But John who is this child? I never heard you have a relative of that age and where is Sherlock? Haven't heard from him all week. I left him a message that I have the brain he was looking for." John was confused. What brain? But he didn't really want to know it. It was probably better if Sherlock had no brain to experiment on.

"Sherlock did an experiment nearly a week ago and the result you can see right here on my lap." John's eyes fell on William who looked more peaceful now that the medication had kicked in. Molly eyed the child on John's chest, the little boy that had cried himself to sleep with the stuffed bee, the dark curly hair and the eyes that had looked much like Sherlock's.

"So you say that Sherlock is that child and you have been taking care of him since he is like that?" She remembered the science journal she had shown him. With the article on the re-aging potion and it all made click.

"Oh I'm sorry John. That is probably my fault. I showed him the article." Molly felt a bit ashamed. She knew Sherlock was a bit… let's say crazy with his experiments and he never even stopped when he needed someone to test on. But that he had used it himself this time surprised her.

"Not your fault, he would have found another way to do something stupid since he was bored and we had a few nice moments. I found out a lot of new information about him and I will have many questions as soon as he grows up again. I guess the reason for his pain now is that he is starting to grow again. The week is nearly over. I don't have another idea why he could be in pain. I couldn't find anything when I examined him." John really meant what he had said: it wasn't Molly's fault that he had had a three year old for a week. Sherlock would have found something else to do. Also without an experiment to do, at the end of a week of boredom his flat mate would have been more work for John than a sweet little three year old. The child couldn't reach for his gun to shoot more holes into the wall and listened to him, ate and did not use the microwave to make oranges explode.

Molly stayed for another two hours. In this time she cooked a vegetable soup for them for lunch, tidied the living room and did the laundry. John couldn't thank her enough. In all this time, John tried to not move and if had been possible he would also have stopped breathing out of fear of waking William. But the child slept and that was everything that counted right now.


	6. Sherlock

**Chapter 6: Sherlock**

John woke up in the early hours of the morning. He needed a second to notice it but the comforting warmth of William was missing. The boy always slept close enough for him to reach out and touch him. John panicked. He had had a hard time getting William to sleep last night. His little friend had finally fallen asleep very late yesterday after being sick and feeling poor the whole evening. First John lifted the blanket, the child could have moved under it or was hiding or whatever a child did under a blanket during the night, but he wasn't there. What he found was a toy. Sherlock's beloved toy bee.

John picked up Mr. Bee and walked downstairs. Deciding not to shout out William's name he looked first in the kitchen and then walked over into the living room. And there in the silver light of the moon was his flat mate, sleeping covered only with a bed sheet and sleeping deeply. John let out a sigh; he had found William or better Sherlock. His flat mate looked exactly like the man he had left alone in the flat last week. His messy mop of black curls surrounded the face of an adult and John had to smile at the picture in front of him. Careful not to wake his friend, John walked over and placed Mr. Bee next to his him. Sherlock's hand closed automatically around one of Mr. Bee's wings and he pulled the toy closer to cuddle up with it in his sleep.

Probably for the last time in a while John got his phone and took a picture. In the faint light his friend was lying with his childhood toy, sleeping peacefully. Certain he wouldn't be able to fall back asleep again, John sat in his chair and watched his friend sleep until the sun rose.

* * *

Sherlock woke to the sound of waking London. The sun tickled in his eyes and made black spots on his sight. He felt… better. He couldn't remember what had happened last night but he had woken up and something had been wrong. Walking around the flat hadn't helped and his bed hadn't felt right so he had ended up on the sofa, the center of the flat, at least for him. He liked to watch life happening from there and especially John walking around doing his things. Making tea, cooking, reading or writing on his blog.

Moving his head around to face the room he waited for his eyes to get used to the light. His head didn't hurt anymore and the nausea he had felt was gone. Something soft was in his hand and the thin fabric around his naked body felt nice. Thinking about it: 'where were his clothes'? Finally deciding to face reality he opened his eyes and found John in front of him, sitting in his chair and watching him. Without a word he got up and made tea.

John came back and offered him a steaming cup of tea. Sherlock didn't feel like talking, he nodded his thanks and took the first sip, closing his eyes to enjoy the flavor of the tea. But this wasn't the tea John usually made for him. It tasted milky and had a lot of sugar in it.

"John why is my tea tasting like milk?" Meeting his friend's eyes he saw something he didn't really want to see so early in the morning especially after the difficult night he had had. "What's so funny?" He didn't really want to raise his voice but then John shouldn't overdo it either.

"It's your magic tea. Like you wanted it the whole of last week." Magic tea? That didn't sound like him, not even his high-on-drugs me.

"Don't be childish John, you just put in more milk and sugar so that even a child would drink it…" Maybe he wanted to say something more but the words didn't come out and his mind stopped for a second.

Child…

Child…

Child… The reverse aging experiment. "It worked?" As he sounded overly excited John had to roll his eyes a bit. Of course Sherlock didn't remember his time as a child. It made John a bit sad.

"Yes Sherlock your little experiment worked, not funny by the way to come home and find a very needy three year old in the flat that smelled like something had died in it." John was only playing the angry flat mate. Of course he was surprised and he wouldn't say it had been easy but Sherlock had to learn that he needed to for permission to something like that or at least give him some warning that this was going to happen.

"I'm not needy." Sherlock sounded offended.

"Are you sure? I had to keep you around me 24/7, I couldn't even use the toilet alone. You slept in my bed and you, Mr. Needy, you needed a good cuddle every hour." It hadn't been bad but the face Sherlock was showing him now was priceless. He couldn't remember the things, but he could read it on John's face that they were true.

"Really? Mycroft never shoved this onto my face. I thought he had used every little piece of information he has on me until now." Sherlock really sounded amazed.

"We can call 'Uncle Mycroft' to collect your toys for safe keeping." John pointed on the stuffy toy in Sherlock's lap. Sherlock looked down and a very peaceful expression showed on his face. The one he had had when Mycroft had first brought the toy. Mr. Bee was something special, a friend in his lonely childhood that still held a huge place in his heart. John watched as Sherlock stroked the broken wing and touched the antennas with his fingers a soft smile on his lips.

There wasn't really much difference between William and Sherlock. Only years of experience and growing up had shaped the sweet little boy to become this elegant and proud man that John could call his friend. A man who trusted him more than anyone else to keep him safe.


End file.
